Flushing valve



FLUSHING VALVE Filed Jan. 21, 1949 m. m 2 ,W w E @a M. a n if f 2 f2 2 9 n@ ff y f Z m/ 3% M, 7M a M2 2 M p 3. i a d w 3 aq/a Patented Dec. l, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FLUSHING VALVE Unno Lantiainen, Savcnlinna, Finland Application January 21, 1949, Serial No. 21.901

2 claims. 1

Many different types of ilushing Valves OI @11B kind which may be connected directly to a water main are in use already. However. in valves of the kind described, the flushing period may vary greatly with changes in water main prese sure, thus either prolonging or shortening the ushina period, or defective regulating means may cause either continuous flushing or none at all, or furthermore the flushing valves may operate very noisily indeed.,

The present invention has for its object the provision of a ushing valve with none oi the above mentioned defects. The present invention relates to a valve chiefly for water closets. which may be connected directly to a water main and which is provided with a main valve and a pilot valve, the pilot valve being adapted to be opened with a handle prior to the opening of the main valve which vautornatically closes after the iiushing Operation, characterized in that the pilot valve is provided with locking means for locking said valve in its opened position, and with regulatins means for releasing said valve after said main valve has opened sulciently.

In the accompanying drawing, which illustrates an embodiment of the invention- Figg l 1S. a vertical sectional elevdioll 0f the flushing valve taken through the axis of the valve, and

Fig. a yis an enlarged sectional elevation of the main Valve and of the pilot valve cti-operating therewith,

The housing I of the flushing valve is cast of metal and shaped so that the valves and the handle have a Substantially horizontal position. By means of the valve seat 2 the valve chamber is partitioned so that the fore part provides a cylindrical valve bex' creasing l 3, 3u idr aecommodating the main valve, the rear part forming the water chamber 4. The upper part of the housing is provided with a Water inlet sleeve 5 with threads for the Water main pipe, and a stop valve made in the customary manner.

The valve casing 3 is closed by a threaded cover plate 5, screwed thereon, and provided with packing 6a. To the flange 4a located on the one side of the Water compartment is rigidly secured, by means of the nut 7, the handle 8, and the ushing pipe 9 is joined by means of the nut l0 to the lower part of said compartment.

The main valve is provided with an annular element lvl with a groove adapted to receive the packing l2 for closing the valve opening 2a, and a piston-like rear part I3 forming the chamber |3a adapted to accommodate the pilot valve. The

main valve divides the valve casina 3 into two parte so that there is formed the .fore part Sie. which communicates directly with the water in- 1er pipe 5q and the rear part 3, which communl- Cates with the fore part through leakage groove i4 and leakage hole 14a- The pistoneiike rear part I3 ci the valve is packed to valve casing 3, by means of a gasket l'havine threads, and provided with en elastic annular packing I6.

The annular element l l of the main Valv@ lllO- vides a fairly large, threaded hole I7 adapted i9 receive the sleeve Hi 'of the pilot Valve The exterior end ci the sleeve I8 carries a conical tube part 18a., a .flange I9 for holding the packing i2 of, the main valve in place, and a sound-damping flange 2n, positioned in front of the ange I9; adapted to spray the iet of water, and fdr this purpose provided With hOleS :2l 0i Corr@- spondins Openinsa.

The hele 22 Qf the sleeve I 8 widens approximately at the middle into the Valve casing proper 2,3, and on the thus formed pilot valve seat Y23a is disposed. the valve packing 24.

The pilot Valve Consists of a Cylindrical mem.- her 25, and a cylindrical central portion 25a.. the extreme end of said central portdn carrying a holding pee 26o provided with a shoulder 26 and stud 25a. The spiral spring 2l functions as the closing means for the pilot valve, the regulating nut 28 Screwed to the mouth of the valve casing 23 functioning as a support for said spring and also as guiding means for the' valve 2,5. The pilot valve carries a red 29 having an e1astic-element or spiral spring Silas an extension there of. 'I'he sleeve I8 of the pilot valve is made with holes ai, lvurennlpvide passage for 'veter from valve box 3 into hcleiZ- end from there into compartment 4 The lock sleeve 32 functions as the Operating element of the locking device provided for pilot valve, The interior end 0f the lock sleeve is. made with a locking element 32d, which. grips the shoulder of the holding peg 26-26b, and with an outwardly extending holding ange 32h for securing the sleeve, by means of nut 33, to the sleeve IB of the pilot valve. This connection is so loose that the lock sleeve 32 is capable of moving downwards and, by means of element 32a, to lock the pilot valve 25 inits opened position. In order to ensure the operation of the f lock sleeve 32, a ange-like weight 34 is attached tothe exterior end thereof.

The releasing means for the lock sleeve consists of a regulating screw 35 which has a coni- 3 cal end portion and is mounted on cover plate 6 of the valve box.

The releasing means for the pilot valve and consequently the means for actuating iiushing are joined in prior known manner to the handle means. To the connecting flange 4a is attached a sleeve 36 and a handle 8, which is supported by spiral spring 3l, and rigidly secured, by means of nut 1, to the flange 4a. To the handle 8 is connected, by means of holding piece 38, a pushing rod 3S joined, by a riveted joint, to a pushing head 49, which contacts the spiral spring Sii when the handle is pressed. The stufng box 4i guides the pushing rod 39.

Underneath the valve box 3c is arranged a small air chamber 42, adapted to receive outside air through the holes 43, said air vbeing conducted therefrom through the hole 44 into the compartment 4 for the purpose of preventing the creation of a Vacuum in said compartment. During the flushing period the air hole 44 is covered by a two-armed flap 45 which, by reason of its own weight, immediately opens when the inflow of water ceases. Thus the absorption of sewage Water into the ushing pipe 9 is totally prevented.

The flushing valve functions in the following manner: on pressing the handle 8 e. g. downwards, the head 40 of the pushing rod contacts the pilot valve spring 30 and forces the pilot valve 25 open, so that water from the valve box 3 can escape through the holes 3| and 22 into the cornpartment 4, the lock sleeve 32 dropping down simultaneously and causing the locking element 32a to grip the shoulder 26 on the holding peg and lock. the pilot valve in its opened position.

In the meantime the water pressure in the rear part 3 of the main valve box falls, but the water pressure in the fore part of the said box forces the main valve Il-l3 open and flushing begins. As ilushing advances the main valve opens completely until lock sleeve 32 contacts the regulating screw 35, which lifts the lock sleeve into its central position and releases locking element 32 from the shoulder 26 of the holding peg, the spiral spring 2'! forcing the pilot valve 25 to close and thus putting an end to the flowing of water through the holes 3 l, 22.

Subsequently the rear part 3 of the valve box fills up with water which flows through the holes I4, Ma and the main valve II-i3 closes. By means of the regulating screw 35 the degree to which the main valve may open can be controlled and thereby the flushing period may be regulated as desired under the prevailing water main pressure for the purpose of securing satisfactory flushing.

The hereinabove described flushing valve chosen to illustrate the invention is only one embodiment, but it is to be understood, that constructional changes may be made therein within the scope and spirit of the invention. For example, the pilot valve and the locking means thereof may be modified in many different Ways.

Prior known methods well known to those skilled in the art of making flushing valves may be employed.

I claim:

1. In a flushing valve assembly including a valve casing, a horizontally movable main valve, and a vertical cover plate opposite said main valve, in combination, a manually operable pilot valve mounted on said main valve movably in horizontal direction between an open and a closed position; an elongated horizontally extending holding member secured at one end thereof to said pilot valve so as to move with the same, and having at the other end thereof a head portion defining a vertical shoulder; a tubular locking sleeve secured at one end thereof to said main valve slidably movably in vertical direction between a higher and a lower position, and in said higher position located coaxially with said holding member, said tubular locking sleeve projecting towards said holding member and having at the other end thereof an inwardly extending flange dening an inner shoulder located around said head of said holding member when said tubular locking sleeve is in said higher position and said pilot valve is in closed position, and located behind said shoulder on said holding member when said pilot valve is in open position whereby said tubular locking sleeve is permitted to drop by the force of gravity to said lower position so that said. inner shoulder on said inner flange of the tubular locking member engages said inner shoulder on said holding member locking said holding member and retaining said pilot valve in open position; and a cylindrical release rod mounted on said cover plate coaxially with said tubular locking sleeve in higher position thereof and projecting with one end towards the same, said release rod having on said end a conical end portion adapted to engage the oppositely located edge of the interior of said tubular looking member in lower position thereof when said main valve and said tubular locking sleeve move toward said release rod so that said tubular locking sleeve, sliding upwardly on said conical end portion to said higher position thereof, is centered by said release rod whereby said tubular locking sleeve releases said holding member permitting return of said pilot valve.

2. A flushing valve assembly according to claim l wherein said cylindrical release rod is mounted in said cover plate adjustably in axial direction for varying the time period after which said release rod engages said tubular locking sleeve for v releasing said pilot valve.

UUNO LAUTIAINEN.

Number Name Date 1,523,526 Hedges Jan. 20, 1925 1,545,150 Lundberg July 7, 1925 1,624,130 Beggs V Apr. 12, 1927 

